Improvement in meat-choppers



C. H. ELLIS. M'eat-huppers.

Patented Feb. 241874'.

ivrriED STATES PATENT EEIoE.

CHARLES' H. ELLrs, 0E SALEM, onto.

" IMPROVEMENT IN MEAT-cHoPPERs.

Spcc'1aiion forming part of Letters Patent No. 1479755, dated February 24, 1874; application filed August 21,1873.

To all whom it may concern A Be it known that I, GHARLEs H. ELLIS, of Salem, county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented an Improvement in Meat-Cutting Machines; and I do hereby de.- clare the following to be a full and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine, with the cutter-block, hopper, and part ofthe cutter-arm in section. Fig. 2 is an end view of the-machine, Vshowing the crank bearing or journal. Fig. 3 is an end view of the stanchion and its journal.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts in the several gures.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of a meat-chopping machine for which Letters Patent have been granted to me as assignee of Hall and Ellis, dated July l5, 1873; and said improvements consist of the combination and arrangement 1n a meat-cutting machine of the following elements, viz: A stanchion for securing `the cutter-arm to the frame in such manner as to prevent lateral movement; adjustable bolts for securing the knives or cutters to the cutter-arm; a bearing for the crank or eccentric operating the arm, a flaring adjustable hopper for the cutter-block; and a device for securing `the block in place, all as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, A is the frame-work, con sisting of suitable side pieces, legs, and crossties, which may be secured to the iioor by screws passing through the bottom cross-ties, on the under sides of which blocks of rubber, a, are attached, so as to prevent jarring and noise. B is the cutter arm or lever, having a stanchion, b, fastened to one end, said stanchion spreading out at its lower end into two arms, (see Fig. 3,) which are pivoted to a bracket, c, on the frame-work by a bolt, d, passing through the ends of said arms and the bracket. By these devices I secure a broader base or pivotal point for the arm B to work upon, and thus overcome any tendency in said arm to lateral thrusts or movements, and hence render its action more uniform and effective. e is the knife or cutter,

.secured to the arm by screw-bolts fj', passing up through said arms, and adjusted therein by 'nutsg g on top, and h 71l on the under side, of said arm. By this means the knife can be readily raised and lowered, as required,

and also removed without disturbing the fasti enings of the bolts to the knife. e' yis the pitman-rod, secured to the crank or eccentric k by a wrist-pin, or otherwise, and to the arm B by, a pin keyed to it, which can be readily removed when the arm is to be thrown back, thus avoiding the use of a nutand the trouble of unscrewing it. The crank or eccentric is on a shaft which passes through a cylindrical journal-box, m, bolted at one end to the framework, and to the outer end of this shaft the mot-ive power is applied. The other or inner end of the journal-box m isbolted to one end of a casting, l, which is formed with a trough, l', in which the eccentric or crank turns, the other end of said casting being attached to the framework 5 and to further stiifen it, so as to resist springing from the blows of the cutter,I pass a bolt through the trough l into the framework. The object in thus making the journal-box m and casting l in two pieces, in providing the trough, and in bolting them together, as described, is to obtain room for the crank and pitman in the middle of the machine under the end of the arm B, the point where the power can be applied to the best advantage, and to obtain the maximum of strength at the point wherel the strain is greatest.

I have found the hoppers of the common meat-cutters objectionable and defective in many respects; as,for instance, when made in the ordinary manner, the meat is constantly being thrown out by the knife, and as the block wears down it becomes loose. These defects I remedy by forming the lower part of the hopper G straight, so as to t snugly around the upper part of the block to its edge, when it flares outward sharply for a short distance, and then extends straight up to the proper height, and this latter'straight portion is preferably made separate from the iaring port-ion. By this means a greater space is obtained on the chopping-block, so that the meat can be better distributed where such space is most needed, and what meat clings to the knife is not thrown out bystriking against the sides of the hopper, and more room is also afforded for stirring the meat under the knife. The: lower part of the hopper rests on slotted inverted L-shaped braekl ets, secured to the block by thumb or other screws, so that, as the block is Worn down,the hopper may be lowered accordingly. This does away With the expense and labor involved in cutting a rabbet in the upper edge of the block, and is much more effective than that construction, as the hopper can always be secured in its proper position relatively to such block.

The block 1),.l1ereinbefbre referred to, is secured to the frame-work by a pivotal pin, o, extending from the center of its bottom, and having its bearing in a cross-tie, p, of the frame, in which it is secured by a pin, i', passing through the pivot o 011 the under side of said tie. The block is by this means rendered more solid and secure, and is prevented from being lifted up by the knife should it strike into it. Any suitable means may be employed to rotate thebloek, such as I have described in the specification of niy patent before referred to.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination and arrangement of the broad-based stanehion c, the knife-arm B, the adjustable knife c, the pitman i, crank k, cranktrough Z, and crank-shaft, and journal-box m, in the manner described.

2. In a meat-chopper, the block secured to the frame-Work by a central pivotal pin, upon which it rotates, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The meat-receptacle consisting of the block D, attached to the frame by the pin o and key r, the Haring hopper, and the slotted bracket for adjusting said hopper to the cutting-surface of the block, all constructed and combined as specified.

The above specification of my said invention signed and witnessed at Salem, Ohio,this 5th day of July, A. D. 1873.

CHARLES H. ELLIS.

Witnesses JOSEPH O.GREINE1, PETER AMBLEB. 

